Living in such a beautiful place it can be easy to take for granted how lucky we are. I would argue we live in the prettiest place in the country.

When the people who live here talk about the district, many people say they would like everything to stay as it is, but we also get many voices who want change and improvement. People want more affordable homes, better roads, better facilities, the list goes on.

As the district council we are responsible for what is known as the ‘Local Plan’. The importance of this document cannot be overstated, as it has far reaching effects for the future of residents in the Forest of Dean. It is our chance to fix the problems we have and design the district to be how we want it to be in the future. 

This local plan isn’t something that can only involve councillors, or council staff. We want Our Plan to be a local plan for everyone that lives, works and plays here. We want input from as many people as possible to deliver a local plan that is right for the Forest of Dean.

The consultation for the new Forest of Dean local plan - Our Plan, is now open and I hope everyone has had the opportunity to take a look at the new strategy and give us their thoughts. If not, there is still time to get involved and details for the consultation will be included at the bottom of this column. We will listen to your views, and while as a democracy we will need to agree approaches that won’t be what everyone wants, the more people who have a say, the more it will be influenced by you as residents.

This is a great chance to come together as a community in the Forest of Dean and really help to shape the district's future.

Although housing targets are set by the Government and new homes have to be built, having a local plan in place allows us all to have a say on where development takes place and gives us an opportunity to push for improvements to roads and other key services we know the district needs. It also means that we can work closely with developers to make sure that any development enhances the Forest of Dean and brings real benefits to the people who live here.

The new local plan is due to be in place until 2041. That may seem like a long way off, but we have to take into account the future that we want for generations to come in the Forest of Dean. We must make sure that there are opportunities for people to learn, to grow and to build a life here. There must be the right houses, at an affordable price for the people of the Forest. 

We want to see our high streets bustling and local businesses being able to grow and develop, whilst protecting the fantastic environment that we see all around us across the district. Our Plan sets out ways in which we can help reduce our carbon footprint, protect our natural environment, and how we can help the wildlife and nature that we see on our doorstep recover and flourish.

The consultation is open until the 19 August 2024 and there are several ways in which you can get involved. You can do this online by searching ‘Local Plan’ on the Forest of Dean District Council website, or you can write to the Local Plan Team at the below address:

FAO Local Plan Team, Forest of Dean District Council, High Street, Coleford, GL16 8HG

Let’s make this local plan, the plan the Forest of Dean wants. Our Plan.